Proverbs 4
4
Cherish Wisdom
1Sons,
listen to ⌞your⌟ father’s discipline,
and pay attention in order to gain understanding.
2After all, I have taught you well.
Do not abandon my teachings.
3When I was a boy ⌞learning⌟ from my father,
when I was a tender and only child of my mother,
4they used to teach me and say to me,
“Cling to my words wholeheartedly.
Obey my commands so that you may live.
5Acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding.
Do not forget.
Do not turn away from the words that I have spoken.
6Do not abandon wisdom, and it will watch over you.
Love wisdom, and it will protect you.
7The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom.
Acquire understanding with all that you have.
8Cherish wisdom.
It will raise you up.
It will bring you honor when you embrace it.
9It will give you a graceful garland for your head.
It will hand you a beautiful crown.”
Stay on the Path of Wisdom
10My son,
listen and accept my words,
and they will multiply the years of your life.
11I have taught you the way of wisdom.
I have guided you along decent paths.
12When you walk, your stride will not be hampered.
Even if you run, you will not stumble.
13Cling to discipline.
Do not relax your grip on it.
Keep it because it is your life.
14Do not stray onto the path of wicked people.
Do not walk in the way of evil people.
15Avoid it.
Do not walk near it.
Turn away from it,
and keep on walking.
16Wicked people cannot sleep
unless they do wrong,
and they are robbed of their sleep
unless they make someone stumble.
17They eat food obtained through wrongdoing
and drink wine obtained through violence.
18But the path of righteous people is like the light of dawn
that becomes brighter and brighter until it reaches midday.
19The way of wicked people is like deep darkness.
They do not know what makes them stumble.
Stay Focused on Wisdom
20My son,
pay attention to my words.
Open your ears to what I say.
21Do not lose sight of these things.
Keep them deep within your heart
22because they are life to those who find them
and they heal the whole body.
23Guard your heart more than anything else,
because the source of your life flows from it.
24Remove dishonesty from your mouth.
Put deceptive speech far away from your lips.
25Let your eyes look straight ahead
and your sight be focused in front of you.
26Carefully walk a straight path,
and all your ways will be secure.
27Do not lean to the right or to the left.
Walk away from evil.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 4
4
Advice to Young People
1My child, listen closely
to my teachings
and learn common sense.
2My advice is useful,
so don't turn away.
3When I was still very young
and my mother's favorite child,
my father 4said to me:
“If you follow my teachings
and keep them in mind,
you will live.
5Be wise and learn good sense;
remember my teachings
and do what I say.
6“If you love Wisdom
and don't reject her,
she will watch over you.
7The best thing about Wisdom
is Wisdom herself;
good sense is more important
than anything else.
8If you value Wisdom
and hold tightly to her,
great honors will be yours.
9It will be like wearing
a glorious crown
of beautiful flowers.”
The Right Way and the Wrong Way
10My child, if you listen
and obey my teachings,
you will live a long time.
11I have shown you the way
that makes sense;
I have guided you
along the right path.
12Your road won't be blocked,
and you won't stumble
when you run.
13Hold firmly to my teaching
and never let go.
It will mean life for you.
14Don't follow the bad example
of cruel and evil people.
15Turn aside and keep going.
Stay away from them.
16They can't sleep or rest
until they do wrong or harm
some innocent victim.
17Their food and drink
are cruelty and wickedness.
18The lifestyle of good people
is like sunlight at dawn
that keeps getting brighter
until broad daylight.
19The lifestyle of the wicked
is like total darkness,
and they will never know
what makes them stumble.
20My child, listen carefully
to everything I say.
21Don't forget a single word,
but think about it all.
22Knowing these teachings
will mean true life
and good health for you.
23Carefully guard your thoughts
because they are the source
of true life.
24Never tell lies or be deceitful
in what you say.
25Keep looking straight ahead,
without turning aside.
26 #
He 12.13. Know where you are headed,
and you will stay
on solid ground.
27Don't make a mistake by turning
to the right or the left.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.